Papyrus Making

Papyrus is an aquatic plant belonging to the Cyperaceous botanic family. It is distinguished by having triangular culm commonly called stalk, reaching up to 12 feet high at fully maturity.

Harvesting papyrus takes place during summer (June-September).Only mature stalks are cut and tied in bundles each of 25 stalks.

The rind is first uncovered with a sharp knife exposing the inner white pith.
The uncovered pith is than cut with a knife in parallel thin strips of even thickness in the longitudinal direction of the stalk.

The strips are soaked in water for a few days to dissolve the soluble carbohydrates.
The strips undergo a preliminary rolling with a heavy wooden roller against a flat block of wood to get rid of the sap laden with soluble materials.

The fully hydrated strips are cut to the required length on a board of wood.

On a piece of linen material a layer of parallel strips is put horizontally. Another layer is laid vertically on the top of the first one. The papyrus sheet thus formed is covered with another piece of linen.

Between two pieces of dry felt the sheet is put under the press. The applied pressure drives the water from the wet sheet to be absorbed by the covering felt which is changed several times until the sheet is dried completely.

The finished sheet is examined against the light. All defective sheets are eliminated.

The sheet is then given to well qualified artists to carry on their hand paintings.